When will Canadian news disappear from social media sites

As residents of Chestermere, what does Bill C-18 mean for you, especially with Google and Meta, parent company of Facebook and Instagram, threatening to remove Canadian journalism links? This decision comes as a reaction to the Online News Act, or Bill C-18, which will enforce these tech companies to agree to fair compensation when news content from media outlets is shared on their platforms.
Though the act is meant to support an industry losing its advertising revenue, there are concerns over its impact on the common news consumer, who often depends on Google and Facebook to access relevant journalism. Here’s what Chestermere residents need to know about the Online News Act and how it might alter your news consumption practices.
Google has labelled the act as a “link tax”, while Meta claims that Canadian news organizations already enjoy free marketing worth over $230 million through link clicks from Facebook.
While News Media Canada’s CEO, Paul Deegan, acknowledges the traffic driven to news websites by these platforms, he emphasized the need for fair negotiations for the value of their content. Yet, Alfred Hermida, a journalism professor at the University of British Columbia, sees C-18 as flawed and insufficient to tackle larger issues in the news industry.
Google and Meta remain skeptical about the act, with no ongoing negotiations with the federal government. The law will come into effect at year-end, at which point Google plans to start blocking Canadian news links. Meta has similar plans for Facebook and Instagram.
News organizations employ various tools to reach their audiences, including their own websites, mobile apps, and other social media platforms. Email newsletters and mobile device push alert notifications are also used, though users must opt into these.
Yet, Hermida raises doubts about whether Canadians who typically access news through Google or Facebook will switch to directly visiting a website, app, or other platform for news. According to him, people tend to stick to their habits and often discover news while engaged in other activities.
An analogous situation unfolded in Australia in 2021, where a law was enacted to make Google and Facebook negotiate with news companies. Although Facebook briefly blocked news from Australian feeds, the government eventually reached a compromise with the two companies. However, Hermida pointed out that the situation in Australia differs from Canada’s.
Given that similar legislation is being introduced worldwide, some believe that these tech companies are using Canada to set an example. The unfolding of this situation will be closely watched and Chestermere residents, like all Canadians, will be keen to see how this shapes their access to news in the future.